Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are two of the most common surgical procedures performed on children. Both tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are associated with considerable post-operative pain that may often last as long as two weeks. Due to this post-operative pain, which is most severe when trying to swallow food, children typically cannot eat solid food for at least two days after surgery and often for as long as six days after surgery. In addition to post-operative pain, children also commonly suffer from post-operative bleeding, nausea, and/or bad breath after tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. Although tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are performed less commonly on adults, the procedures cause similar post-surgical pain and discomfort in adult patients.
Generally, surgical procedures on mucosal tissue, such as tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, present several post-operative challenges. Mucosal tissue is typically very delicate and difficult to bandage. Mucosal tissue often must stay wet to heal and to perform its intended function. Damaged mucosal tissue can produce significant patient discomfort.
A number of tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy procedures have been developed in an attempt to reduce the post-operative pain and discomfort caused by the procedure. For example, the Coblation Tonsillectomy procedure developed by Arthrocare Corporation (Austin, Tex.) was developed as a “less invasive,” and thus less painful, tonsillectomy method. However, even using the Coblation Tonsillectomy procedure or other less invasive procedures, post-operative pain and bleeding are still significant for many children and adult patients, often preventing them from eating food for days after their surgeries. To date, no satisfactory post-operative treatments have been developed to alleviate this pain and to allow patients to comfortably eat after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures.
Therefore, a need exists for a post-surgical treatment that would help children and adult patients recover from tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Ideally, such a treatment would act as a barrier to protect mucosal tissue at and around the surgical site to make it easier and less painful for a patient to swallow. Ideally, the barrier would adhere to mucosal tissue even with the abrasive forces of swallowing and, in addition to reducing pain, would also reduce bleeding. At least some of these objectives will be met by various embodiments of the present invention.
In addition to post-tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy treatment, there are many other treatments in the ear, nose, throat or mouth that could be performed or enhanced with a mucosal tissue dressing. For example, it would be desirable to have a mucosal tissue dressing that could adhere to tissue and deliver one or more therapeutic substances to a desired area in the ear, nose, throat or mouth. It would also be beneficial to have a dressing for stopping a cerebrospinal fluid leak, reducing blood loss from an incision, acting as a bolster or support to a piece of tissue and/or the like. In any of these contexts, the challenges of providing a mucosal tissue dressing are similar, in that the dressing must stay in place long enough, perform its function, and not interfere with normal physiological function. Various embodiments of the present invention will also meet at least some of these objectives for purposes other than a post-tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy dressing.